AI-powered toys and classroom tutoring programs are showing up as holiday gifts and school tools, reported The Economist.
What's happening?
According to writers at The Economist, "AI is rewiring childhood."
Manufacturers in China recently released talking robots and interactive stuffed animals that use artificial intelligence. The products engage children in conversation, provide instruction, and generate original stories.
Young people are also consuming AI-created video content and participating in video games with adaptive challenge levels.
Educational institutions have started incorporating AI-based tutoring programs. Educators are working with platforms like ChatGPT to build instructional content.
"Childhood is being reshaped, and so is our sense of truth. We need transparent models, verifiable data and a reliable TrustLayer beneath the tools children learn from," said Gerrit Patrick Langer, founder and CEO of Medicoinswiss AG, in a LinkedIn comment.
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Why is AI's influence on children concerning?
AI tutoring shows promise for delivering individualized instruction. Students struggling in traditional group settings may benefit. Young people without access to educational resources can find learning materials online.
Yet digital companions that validate everything children say while concealing their own perspectives don't prepare kids for real relationships. About 33 out of every 100 American adolescents report that chatting with AI feels equally or more rewarding than human conversation.
AI algorithms track user preferences and feed children increasingly narrow content. Kids fixated on a single interest end up surrounded only by related material. Stories, educational examples, and entertainment all center on the same theme, blocking exposure to diverse topics.
The technology also carries environmental costs. AI systems require massive data centers that need to be cooled by tons of electricity and water. Plus, training a single large AI model can emit carbon pollution equivalent to the lifetime emissions of five cars.
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As AI adoption grows in schools and homes, the energy demands multiply.
What's being done about AI's environmental impact?
You can reduce your digital carbon footprint by limiting unnecessary AI tool usage and choosing energy-efficient devices. When schools and families do use AI products, selecting companies committed to renewable energy for their data centers makes a difference.
Supporting policies that require tech companies to power operations with clean energy helps drive industry change. Contact your representatives to advocate for regulations on AI energy consumption and transparency about environmental impacts.
Choose traditional toys and learning methods when possible to cut down on electronic waste and energy use. These small adjustments help create a healthier planet while giving kids opportunities to develop social skills through face-to-face interaction.
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